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The Project “Media and the Public Image” was Presented at the Conference in Sarajevo, 18.11.2016

The Project “Media and Public Credibility” was Presented at the Conference in Sarajevo

The conference, where the project “Media and Public Credibility” was presented, was held in the BiH Parliament on 18.11.2016. The project was launched with the aim of establishing transparency of media ownership, media financing and advertising in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The conference was opened by Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, Chief of the EU Delegation and the EU’s Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He noted that media are very important in the context of BiH’s integrations into the EU and that this is why this project is very important.

“BiH has a lot of media, but it all looks like a jungle now. There are shortcomings in terms of media ownership transparency. On top of this, there is the question of the various influences on media, which results in a distrust of media. Thus, this issue is very important. The financial aspect of media is also important. Resolving these issues will be one of the important pillars of BiH’s EU integrations”, said Wigemark.

At the beginning of the conference, Ismir Jusko, Minister of Traffic and Communication in the Council of Ministers of BiH and Marko Divkovic, President of the Association BH Journalists, turned to the attendants. Ismir Jusko said that the Ministry of Traffic and Communication will provide its full support for this project.

“The situation is not at a satisfactory level. There are problems of media financing, but we are also witnesses of attacks on journalists, which cannot be justified in any way. This is a step towards complete media freedom. I am certain that BH Journalists will successfully implement the project, and they will have full support of the ministry. I am glad to be part of this project,” he said. Marko Divkovic said that many bad things hide behind the non-transparency of media ownership and financing, and that that is why it is necessary to regulate these areas by law.

Borka Rudic, Secretary General of the Association BH Journalists, noted that the main goal of this project was to protect the freedom of reporting, diminish the pressure on journalists and the free access to information through transparency of media ownership and financing from public budgets as well as the implementation of European standards. She also added that BiH has a good legislative framework with respects to media, but that there is still no law on advertising and on media ownership transparency, which is why the passing of these laws is one of the key objectives of the project.

“According to the data from the Journalists’ Help Line, between 40 and 60 attacks against journalists take place yearly. Upon analysis, it was concluded that the reason for this is the persistent attempts of influencing the media on behalf of the political and economic centers of power, as well as media clientelism. That is why it is necessary to pass these laws. We will form teams, which will work on developing the draft of the law, and we shall hold debates and public discussions,” she said.

The project “Media and Public Credibility” leans on the EU Standard transparency of media ownership and media pluralism, the protection of the journalistic profession’ value and its public credibility. It is financed by the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and implemented by the Consortium consisting of the Media Center Sarajevo Foundation, the Press Council in BiH, the NGO JaBiHEU and the Association BH Journalists.